Freshmen Dissection

Bash Hudson

January 17, 2021 @ 12:00 PM

The class of 2024 is loaded with talented players at all positions. With multiple games in the books, many freshmen have gotten the opportunity to get on the court and prove that they belong at the varsity level. Let's look at some of the young up and comers who have made an impact thus far. Cedric Rodriguez - Burlington High School - G/F The 6'4'' Rodriguez is the size of a power forward but has a shooting guard's scoring ability. He is averaging 9.5 points and 7 rebounds and can score in a myriad of ways. He can score off putbacks, in transition, and step out and shoot threes, to name a few. He is such a physical specimen; how can a coach possibly defend him? If you go man-to-man, big men aren’t quick enough to guard him, and guards/wings aren't strong enough. If you try to go to a zone defense, he can shoot over the top of it. A freight train on the fast break, the only way to stop Rodriguez is to foul him, but he's excellent at controlling his body, finishing through contact and knocking down free throws. Teams will eventually scheme their defenses to take away Rodriguez’s strengths, so I’m eager to see his ability to create plays and shots for others. I'm also intrigued to see if he can develop a post/face-up game since he is such an offensive mismatch. I feel like he can get easy points if he can get the ball in the post and go to work on his defender. Momo Nkugwa - Chelmsford High School - G The Chelmsford guard has the length and athleticism to be a significant factor on defense. He has the potential to be a great playmaker from the off-guard position. Against Billerica, Nkugwa drove middle numerous times and kicked the ball back out to his wings. He only took two shot-attempts in the game, but they were strong, aggressive takes to the hole. In transition, Nkugwu showed great body control and shiftiness as he weaved his way to the bucket and used a Euro step to get by the last line of defense. As the season progresses, the missed layups will drop, and as he gets more confident and acclimated to the varsity level, I can see him as a valuable rotation piece for Chelmsford. Dylan Swinton - Randolph High School - F Swinton has the potential to be one of the best two-way players in the South Shore League. A terrific on-ball defender, the first-year forward, uses his length and quickness to cut off ball handlers from driving to the lane. He also hustles for loose balls, which is a great sign when you see that kind of effort from the younger players. He is most dangerous on the fast break, though. He makes crisp outlet passes, can dribble and maneuver his way through defenders in transition, and can finish at the rim. Finishing with 8 rebounds, Swinton showed the ability to control the glass and has double-digit rebounding potential. As we advance, I would love to see Swinton get more shot attempts on offense. He showed us his range by hitting a three, but I think he can be an 8-10 point scorer just by outrunning the defense on the fast break for easy points in the Blue Devils high-tempo offense. Henry Digiorgio - Franklin High School - G The minute Digiorgio stepped on the court, it was clear he had star potential in the Hockomock League. Two minutes into the season opener, the freshman guard got into the game, which tells me that the coaches think highly of his skill set by subbing him in after the first dead ball. He immediately hit back-to-back corner three-pointers, leading to a 15-point debut. Finishing 3 for 7 from three-point land, he wasn't shy to shoot like the rest of the Franklin players, who confidently take and make many shots from behind the arc. He plays solid defense as a taller guard as he forced his opponents to shoot 17% from the field when he matched up against them. Towards the end of the game, he showed his aggressiveness driving to the hoop instead of settling for threes. Even though his strength is shooting, because he is so crafty handling the ball and penetrating, I would love to see him develop a midrange game or take it all the way to the hoop more often. He has the skill set, and with more experience, I can see this young guard being a potent scorer. Marquis White - Randolph High School - G The freshman point guard gave everyone a taste of what he can do in Randolph High's season opener this past week. Finishing the game with 5 points and 1 assist, White is a great facilitator on offense. With senior point guard Anthony Williams, Jr. graduating at year's end, Randolph will need someone to be the floor general of the future. White fits perfectly with the Blue Devils because the team has a lot of athletic wing scoring. If you make White the quarterback of the offense, he can push the tempo and get these athletic scorers many easy shots in transition. In the future, it will be interesting how the coaching staff utilizes him in the rotation and see if the young point guard can earn more minutes.